Compliments of Lord Voldemort
by Jedi Sapphire
Summary: MWPP, Lily, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Harry's first Christmas at Godric's Hollow. Perfect until a certain Dark Lord entered the picture.
1. Plans

**COMPLIMENTS OF LORD VOLDEMORT**  
  
**Disclaimer:** Everything to JKR. You know that and I know that.  
  
**Summary:** Christmas at Godric's Hollow has always been peaceful. Sirius and James call it dull. There's no reason why the Christmas of 1980 should be any different from that of 1979, or 1978, or... you get the idea. After all, only the Potters' most trusted friends are coming to spend the holidays with them, and their home is as well protected as No. 12, Grimmauld Place. But Voldemort has something exciting in mind...  
  
**Author's note:** Well, I'm back! I'll try to update this regularly. The first chapter is short and a little irrelevant, but bear with me. It'll get better. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last fic – some people weren't too happy with the absence of a plot in that one, so I'll try to make this better. Read and review!  
  
**CHAPTER 1: PLANS**  
  
"What do you mean you can't come?" Sirius Black demanded indignantly. "We've been planning this for _weeks_!"  
  
James Potter sighed.  
  
"I know. But Dumbledore thinks it isn't safe for Lily and me to leave Godric's Hollow for more than a day or two, and he nearly hexed me when I told him we were planning to take Harry with us. So that's that."  
  
"Interfering old fossil," Sirius muttered. Lily Potter glared at him.  
  
"I don't see what all the complaining is about," Remus Lupin said. "If James and Lily can't come to London for Christmas, then we'll go to Godric's Hollow. It's not the end of the world."  
  
Sirius nodded moodily.  
  
"Always Professor Moony," he muttered.  
  
James grinned at him.  
  
"Here's something that'll cheer you up: Dumbledore and McGonagall and Flitwick are coming to Godric's Hollow for Christmas dinner."  
  
Sirius brightened at once.  
  
"Just like Hogwarts again – d'you remember that time we hexed the turkey and it ran all the way across the Great Hall when Dumbledore tried to carve it?"  
  
"Yeah, I do – and so, apparently, does he, because he told me he'd practise the Summoning Charm before he came."  
  
"And that time at the Leaving Feast when we made Wormtail's plate –"  
  
"Where is Peter, anyway?" Lily asked. "He went off for another drink ten minutes ago – unless Tom's measuring it out drop by drop, he _ought_ to have got it by now."  
  
"Oh, he'll come," Sirius said dismissively. "Probably got lost on the way to the counter."  
  
"Yes, but I can't see him anywhere."  
  
Remus glanced around the pub.  
  
"You're right, that's odd. I don't know –"  
  
"Look around, you two," James said. "The place is _packed_. You'd have a hard time spotting Hagrid at the moment, never mind Wormtail."  
  
"If you say so," Lily said. "There really are all kinds of people here today. I saw a couple of hags who seem to have come all the way from Dublin."  
  
Sirius leaned across the table to James.  
  
"If Snivelly turns up," he whispered, "you can say you've seen a slimy bat that came all the way from – where does he live, anyway?"  
  
"How should I know? Wherever bats live – maybe in one of those caves near Hogsmeade."  
  
"Too bad he's not coming to Christmas dinner. We could have some fun with him – like when we charmed the entrance to the Slytherin dungeon, remember? Every one of those slimy gits got through, but Snivellus couldn't."  
  
Unfortunately, Sirius failed to lower his voice, and Lily overheard the last part of his speech.  
  
"That was you two?" she demanded. "If my memory serves me correctly, you insisted at the time that you had seen Lucius Malfoy use an Impediment Jinx on Snape."  
  
"Well, you see, Lily –"  
  
"No, I don't see. I don't see at all."  
  
"That was in school!"  
  
"We haven't done anything to him since we left Hogwarts."  
  
"Although we can't promise that we won't turn him into a grasshopper when we see him next."  
  
"And he deserved it."  
  
"So did Malfoy, for that matter. Slimy Death Eaters!"  
  
"Sirius! You know perfectly well that Snape's not a Death Eater any more. Dumbledore trusts him; I don't know why you two –"  
  
"Dumbledore trusts everyone, Lily. He believes in second chances. But there's no point giving people like Snape a second chance. He and Voldemort are probably laughing at us in their little secret meetings. So trusting, so gullible, so stupid."  
  
"Here's Wormtail," Remus said. "And shut up, Sirius. Snape's risking a lot to give us information about Voldemort."  
  
"Where have you been?" James asked Peter Pettigrew as he hurried up to their table with a foaming tankard. "We thought you'd been eaten by one of those hags Lily saw."  
  
"Oh," Peter said. "Oh, no – no, there was just a bit of a crowd at the counter. So what have we decided about Christmas?"  
  
"That we're all going to Godric's Hollow," Remus told him.  
  
"As usual," Sirius added. "So don't worry, Wormtail, you won't have to Apparate to London again."  
  
"I hate Apparating," Peter said unhappily. "And I don't see why you wouldn't let me use Floo Powder this morning."  
  
"Peter, have you looked at the Leaky Cauldron fireplace today? There are _only_ about seventy witches and wizards coming in every minute. You would have been stuck in the Floo Network for hours."  
  
"I'm going for a drink," Sirius announced.  
  
"No, you're not," Lily said. "We have to be at Hogwarts in fifteen minutes for the meeting. Hurry up and finish, Peter."  
  
"Are we Apparating?"  
  
"Yes! Unless you want to join that line next to the fireplace. You'll only have to wait for a week or so for your turn."  
  
Well, what do you think? Should I go on, or should I give it up as a bad job?


	2. In the Lair of the Serpent

**COMPLIMENTS OF LORD VOLDEMORT  
**  
**DISCLAIMER:** Harry Potter and all related trademarks and insignia are the property of JKR or Warner Brothers or whoever else owns them... certainly not mine.  
  
Thanks to supernova8610, Larka, Charlie, aihjah, Chubaca, Talamh, FallenFlower, Stefanie2, Debbie, Twiggy and Lady Taliesin for reviewing.  
  
**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I wasn't planning to update so soon, but I had the chapter done sooner than I thought so I figured I might as well... enjoy!  
  
**CHAPTER 2: IN THE LAIR OF THE SERPENT**  
  
Bellatrix Lestrange, Lord Voldemort's most trusted Death Eater, walked swiftly through the corridors of Malfoy Manor, home of her sister and brother-in-law. The Malfoy family was old enough and important enough to be above things like raids and inspections, and was therefore a safe location for Death Eater meetings.  
  
She pushed a door open without knocking and nodded curtly at the robed and hooded figure within.  
  
"Wormtail! The Dark Lord wants to speak to you."  
  
"To me!" Peter Pettigrew gasped. "But why?"  
  
When the Dark Lord wanted to speak to you, it meant either that he was pleased and wished to reward for something, or that you had been found wanting and he wished to express his displeasure. Usually it was the latter.  
  
"I don't know," she said, "but I would advise you not to dawdle."  
  
Peter stumbled to his feet and hastened out of the room, an apology already on his lips. He spent most of his time these days in fear of his life. If anybody in the Order of the Phoenix found out that he was a Death Eater, that he was secretly plotting the murder of his friend's son, then Padfoot and Prongs and Moony would line up to kill him. And even Dumbledore wouldn't be far behind. As for Master... well, if Master even suspected him of so much as a rebellious thought, death would be the least of his punishments.  
  
Suppressing a shudder, he knocked on the door to Voldemort's chambers.  
  
"Come in," a cold voice said.  
  
Peter opened the door, fell to his knees, and crawled to Voldemort.  
  
"My lord," he said, "as always, it is an honour to answer your summons and to be permitted to serve the greatest –"  
  
"That will do," Voldemort said. "I sent for you, Wormtail, because it seems to me that you are not putting enough effort into your appointed task."  
  
"My lord, since the day I was given the honour of being chosen to do you a service, I have never ceased to strive towards –"  
  
"Do not babble, Wormtail. _Three _months ago, I told you to bring me the boy, alive or dead. Three _months_, Wormtail. You and the werewolf are, after that traitor Black, Potter's most intimate friends. Surely it cannot be so difficult!"  
  
"No, my lord, of course not –"  
  
"Then why is the boy not here yet, Wormtail? My patience is wearing thin."  
  
"My lord, Potter and Black are so besotted with the child that one or the other of them is always near him, and –"  
  
"They were not near him this afternoon, were they? They left him with their House-Elf while they went to Dumbledore's pathetic meeting. Ah, you did not think I knew that, did you? Remember, Lord Voldemort _always_ knows."  
  
"Yes, my lord, but there are wards around the house. Potter and Dumbledore and Black devised them together, they are impassable –"  
  
"Potter's wards are meant for Death Eaters, not for his old friend Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"But my lord, my absence from the meeting would have been noticed, and Dumbledore would have suspected –"  
  
"Fool! What can Dumbledore do to you once the boy is dead? He himself cannot destroy Lord Voldemort, and he knows it! No, Wormtail, there is no excuse. Crucio."  
  
Several minutes later, Voldmort lowered his wand, and Peter, panting, struggled to his knees.  
  
"Another time I would kill you for this," Voldemort said idly, "but you may yet redeem yourself. I recall that you said Potter and his family are coming to London at Christmastime."  
  
"That is no longer the case, my lord," Wormtail said.  
  
Voldemort frowned.  
  
"I am waiting for an explanation, and you had better make it a good one."  
  
"Dumbledore forbade Potter to leave Godric's Hollow unless absolutely necessary, my lord."  
  
"Dumbledore," Voldemort said softly. "He is not such an old fool after all. So what is the new plan?"  
  
"Black, Lupin and I shall go to Godric's Hollow for a fortnight."  
  
"Very good. Abstract the boy then – when it is your turn to stand guard, or something of that nature."  
  
Peter coloured.  
  
"I am not normally left to stand guard alone, my lord. It is felt that I am... incapable."  
  
"Inconvenient, but perfectly understandable," Voldemort said. "I cannot imagine myself trusting you to guard an old stocking. Very well, then, Wormtail, what we shall do is this: I will send some Death Eaters to create a diversion and draw the others away from the house. You will then bring the boy to me."  
  
"Of course, my lord."  
  
"And do not fail me again."  
  
Peter bowed and went out of the room. Lord Voldemort smiled eerily at the fireplace.  
  
Well? Tell me how you like it! 


	3. Padfoot and Prongs

**COMPLIMENTS OF LORD VOLDEMORT**  
  
**DISCLAIMER:** You know the drill. All I own is the plot, everything else belongs to somebody who is definitely not me.  
  
Thanks to supernova8610, Aika Hanyou, Lil Miss Potter, Twiggy, Lady Psyche and harrylissa=luv for reviewing. Keep them coming; I like to know what people think.  
  
**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This isn't a very action-packed chapter; it's meant more to set the mood for the story... barring the Voldemort parts, of course. Whether you like it or not, please review and let me know. It'll encourage me to update weekly, at least.  
  
**CHAPTER 3: PADFOOT AND PRONGS**  
  
Sirius and his trunk Apparated into James and Lily's home a week before Christmas. Remus, who had been called to the Werewolf Liaison Office and hoped it meant that he could finally get a job, would be coming two days later, as would Peter.  
  
"Good morning, Sirius Black," the House-Elf said cheerfully as he appeared. "Mistress is eating breakfast, and Master has taken Harry for a walk."  
  
"Breakfast," Sirius said enthusiastically. "I can relate to that. I ate already, but travel always makes me hungry. I'm sure Lily's willing to give a few scraps to a starving dog."  
  
He went off towards the kitchen, pausing on the way to send a jet of silver light at the front door. It quivered slightly, and then stood innocently still.  
  
"Don't open that, Lina, we'll let it be a surprise for Master when he gets back, eh?"  
  
Lina smiled happily. She had no idea what Sirius Black had done to the door, but she was sure it would be interesting.

"As soon as you're old enough, Harry," James said, comfortable in the knowledge that Lily was a mile away and could not hear him, "I will teach you some nice hexes to use on those horrible Slytherins."  
  
Harry gurgled.  
  
"Yep. I'll teach you some, and Padfoot will teach you some, and if you're lucky then Moony will eventually forget that he was a Hogwarts Prefect and will finally cease to be committed to keeping every rule devised in its entire thousand-year history. Moony knows some pretty cool hexes, Harry, so do your best to persuade him."  
  
Harry was more intent on trying to put all ten fingers in his mouth together than on his father's advice.  
  
"Fine," James said. "_Don't_ listen to me. In a few years you'll be begging me to teach you some nice curses."  
  
James glanced into a shop whose sign said 'WRIGHT'S: THE BEST SPORTING GOODS SHOP IN ENGLAND'. Ascertaining that there was nobody within except its proprietress, and that she was bent over a crate with her back to the door, he cast a Silencing Charm around the shop and entered soundlessly.  
  
Jane Wright did not look up.  
  
"OI!" James yelled at the top of his lungs. "I JUST SAW SOME NUTTER GOING DOWN THE STREET TALKING ABOUT A MINISTRY OF MAGIC AND SPELLBOOKS! DO YOU THINK I SHOULD CALL THE AUTHORITIES? CAN I TELEPHONE THE NEWSPAPER FROM HERE? I CAN JUST SEE THE HEADLINE: 'IS THERE SUCH A THING AS MAGIC?'"  
  
Jane Wright leapt twelve feet into the air.  
  
"Was it James Potter you heard? Wait till I get him! But there's no such thing as Magic," she said hurriedly. "You know perfectly well there isn't."  
  
Still with her back to James, she began scrabbling in the crate.  
  
"I dropped my wand – no you didn't hear that! Wands don't exist! Just a – I –"  
  
She found her wand and spun to face him.  
  
"_Oblivi –_"  
  
"_Expelliarmus!_" James said quickly.  
  
"What – oh, for – you _again_, Potter? Haven't you given up your foolish pranks? I honestly thought some Muggle had heard – shouting like that, anyone could have heard you!"  
  
"I put a charm on the building," James said, throwing back her wand. "No harm done."  
  
"Out! Do you want something? And before you ask, Potter, I will not sell you a toy broomstick for Harry. Lily's already spoken to me about that. You can't put a five-month-old baby on a broomstick, even if it's only two feet off the ground."  
  
"Oh, go on, you know you'll give it to me eventually."  
  
"What I know is that if you don't clear out right now and let me get on with my work, I will hex you into oblivion. Now get out."  
  
James left, chuckling softly. The Wrights were the only other wizarding family in Godric's Hollow, and he had spent most of his childhood in their shop.  
  
He strolled back towards the house, talking to Harry all the time.  
  
"You see? Wasn't Dad clever? Mum's clever too, Harry, but Mum wouldn't have seen the joke. Dad, on the other hand, has a highly-developed sense of humour... here we are, home sweet home. Now remember, Harry, all this is between you and me. Don't go telling Mum anything."  
  
James walked up the sloping path and pushed open the door.

Lily had finished breakfast and was concentrating on her newspaper. Sirius, however, was halfway through an enormous stack of toast, listening hard in the direction of the front door.  
  
Halfway through his eleventh slice of toast, his patience was rewarded with an ear-splitting yell from James.  
  
"Got him!" Sirius said gleefully, jumping to his feet. Lily looked up from her paper.  
  
"Whatever mess you've made, Sirius, you and James had better make sure that it's cleaned up by the time I finish my coffee. Woe betide you if there's a single spot on my carpet when I come to inspect it!"  
  
"Don't worry," Sirius called over his shoulder as he ran from the room. "I wouldn't dare have you upset with me!"

James stood in the doorway, dripping with some purple liquid that smelt worse than Stinksap and tasted like he imagined Bubotuber pus might. For one wild moment he thought that Lily, for some reason, had Charmed the door. Then he saw Sirius emerge from a hallway, grinning broadly.  
  
"Good morning, Prongs. How did you get that stuff on yourself? Very careless of you. Hello, Harry, come to Padfoot. Dad smells so nasty, we don't want to be around him any more. Padfoot's nice and clean, look."  
  
James let Sirius take Harry, spluttering for a minute before he found his tongue.  
  
"Sirius Black! Wait till I get hold of you! You put my son down and turn and face me like a man."  
  
"Oh, come on, Prongs," Sirius said cheerfully. "Think what Lily'll say if you chase me around the house and drip that stuff all over the place."  
  
James pulled out his wand and pointed it at Sirius.  
  
"All right, all right," Sirius said hastily. "How about this: think what'll happen if we do that to McGonagall. She can't give us detention any more!"  
  
"Now you're talking," James said, lowering his wand. "What is it, anyway?"  
  
"A spell I found in Zonko's annual catalogue. We'll have to practice it somewhere – er – maybe we should clean it off the floor before Lily comes."  
  
"Right. _Evanesco_." James pocketed his wand. "I am now going to take a bath, and if you put the spell on the bathroom door..."  
  
"Then you won't be able to do a thing to me because Lily would have killed me already."

"Poor Peter. I don't think he'll enjoy his Christmas dinner," Lily said, using her wand to hang tinsel around a portrait of James's great- grandfather. "Good heavens, you two, what an enormous tree! Do you honestly imagine you can stand it up in here?"  
  
"No problem," Sirius said, waving his wand at the ceiling, which rose ten feet. "Plenty of space if you know how to arrange things. And why shouldn't Peter enjoy Christmas dinner?"  
  
"Well, McGonagall's coming. Don't you remember what it was like at Hogwarts that year when Dumbledore decided that the heads of house should sit at their house tables because all the other teachers had gone home for the holidays and they were the only ones left?"  
  
"Don't we?" James chuckled. He waved his wand experimentally and a stream of red and green bubbles came from it. "She sat right next to Wormtail and for five minutes he was too nervous to pick up his knife and fork."  
  
"And then she asked him if he intended to wait till everyone had left and eat his Christmas dinner by himself."  
  
"And when they pulled a cracker together a Sneakoscope came out –"  
  
"And Peter didn't know what it was –"  
  
"And McGonagall yelled at him for an hour because he hadn't being paying attention in Defense."  
  
"It's not funny," Lily said, although she looked as though she was trying very hard not to laugh. "And I'm surprised Peter hasn't complained yet. He's terrified of McGonagall."  
  
"You know," James said thoughtfully, "I don't think Peter realizes she'll be there... he'd gone for a drink when we were talking about McGonagall and Dumbledore coming, and after that... well, you don't mention McGonagall in Peter's presence, do you?"  
  
"And, Lily," Sirius said firmly, "don't tell him. He'll only spend all week moaning and trembling and not having any fun."


	4. Light and Dark

**COMPLIMENTS OF LORD VOLDEMORT**  
  
**DISCLAIMER:** We all know whom this belongs to, and it certainly isn't me.  
  
Thanks to Padfootluver, Lil Miss Potter and Lily and James Potter for reviewing.  
  
**CHAPTER 4: LIGHT AND DARK**  
  
"Good morning, Sybill," Professor McGonagall said. "I'd like a minute of your time, if it's not a problem."  
  
"Of course, Minerva," Sybill Trelawney, the newest addition to the Hogwarts staff, said. "I knew you would come to speak to me, so I arranged to be at liberty at this time."  
  
"Er... quite so."  
  
"Take a seat, Minerva."  
  
Professor Trelawney waved her hands, vaguely indicating the armchairs that were scattered around the room.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked around the room doubtfully. It was hot even in December, and a strong smell of incense seemed to permeate the very walls.  
  
"I was thinking of my office, Sybill."  
  
"I fear that I cannot comply with that request, Minerva. The magical residues in your office would cloud my Inner Eye."  
  
For perhaps the first time in her life, Minerva McGonagall was at a loss for words. Looking as if it was costing her every ounce of will power she possessed, she sank rigidly into a squashy red armchair.  
  
"What is it you wished to speak about, Minerva?"  
  
"Surely your inner eye told you that already, Sybill," Professor McGonagall said, unable to resist.  
  
"Certainly, Minerva," Professor Trelawney said frostily. "But it is not possible to conduct a normal conversation if one reveals that one is All- Knowing."  
  
Professor McGonagall decided that the subject was best abandoned.  
  
"I want to speak to you about Michael Warbeck. Third Year, Gryffindor," she prompted, when Professor Trelawney did not appear to recognize the name.  
  
"Ah, yes," the Divination teacher said. "I recall him only too well... only too well... alas, poor boy."  
  
"Yes, quite. He has been most distraught all term. Professor Sprout tells me he shrieked and fainted when a Biting Tulip snapped at him."  
  
"Foolish boy. It will not be a Biting Tulip."  
  
"I see. I called him to my office before he left for the holidays. It took me four hours to ascertain the problem. It seems you predicted that he would die on..." Professor McGonagall consulted a scrap of parchment. "... the twentieth of January next year."  
  
"You wish the exact time? It will be..." Professor Trelawney closed her eyes. "... at thirteen minutes and forty-three seconds past eleven o'clock." She opened her eyes and smiled benevolently.  
  
"Correct me if I am mistaken, Sybill. You tell me that Michael Warbeck, a thirteen-year-old boy in the best of health, will die in less a month in Hogwarts itself."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
Professor Trelawney looked outraged.  
  
"I _Saw_, Minerva. If you have the gift... the signs were only too obvious. A Grim in his teacup, an _abnormally_ short lifeline when I studied his palm. I even gazed into the Orb, Minerva, and I saw that his days were numbered."  
  
"Do you mean to say," Professor McGonagall said incredulously, "that you predicted all this based on some sodden tea leaves in the bottom of a _cup_?"  
  
"Were your mind less hopelessly Mundane, Minerva, you too would know that the smallest thing can be significant."  
  
"Yes, well, just try not to scare any more students, will you?"  
  
"If I consider it my duty to warn them of what Fate holds in store, I will of course do so."  
  
Had Professor McGonagall been in the habit of throwing things, the crystal ball on the table in front of her would have been lying on the floor in a thousand pieces.  
  
"If there is nothing else, Minerva?" Professor Trelawney prompted. "I feel the urge to read the omens in the fire."  
  
"Er... of course. One more thing, the Potters want to know if you'd like to go to their home for Christmas dinner. Albus and I intend to go, and I daresay you'd rather come with us than stay here by yourself."  
  
"Alas, I cannot come, Minerva. It would cloud my Inner Eye. Thank the Potters for their kind invitation, but tell them I prefer my solitary dinner here. And tell them not to grieve too much when their son is killed on February the eighth. It is meant to be."  
  
"Harry? Harry is going to die?" Professor McGonagall said, interested despite herself.  
  
"Is that his name? He will die. Now I must ask you to leave, Minerva. Your presence clouds my Inner Eye."  
  
Professor McGonagall gave up and left. On her way downstairs she met Professor Dumbledore, who had evidently been planning on paying a visit to the Divination classroom.  
  
"Ah, Minerva," he said cheerfully. "Have you spoken to Sybill about coming with us?"  
  
"She doesn't want to come."  
  
He didn't appear surprised.  
  
"I had suspected as much. She seems to like solitude. I was thinking of giving her a shawl for Christmas, since she seems to like them. What do you think?"  
  
"It'll probably cloud her Inner Eye," Professor McGonagall said irritably, and went on down the stairs.

* * *

In Malfoy Manor – or rather, in the part of Malfoy Manor that was open to the public – a House-Elf was engaged in hanging Christmas baubles from the ceiling.  
  
Narcissa Malfoy looked into the room.  
  
"Are you done yet, Dobby? _Hurry!_ The people from the Ministry will be here soon."  
  
"Yes, Mistress, Dobby is doing it as quickly as he can, Mistress."  
  
Narcissa watched him critically. Her sister Bellatrix, whom Dobby hated – although he told himself he wasn't supposed to hate any of the Malfoys' friends – joined her. They were both very nice-looking, but sometimes Dobby suspected that they were evil.  
  
As soon as the thought had come to him, he winced. He would punish himself for that later.  
  
"I don't know why Lucius still bothers," Narcissa said. "The Ministry won't be in control much longer."  
  
"Be patient. It's best that they think they're safe... and Lucius is the best person to convince them. He gives them plenty of gold, so they will trust him unless he actually performs an Unforgivable before their very eyes... but it's only a matter of time now. On Christmas day, when that fool Dumbledore is feasting at Hogwarts, we will strike Godric's Hollow. The boy will be killed and that will be the end of the matter. Our time is coming."  
  
The two of them went out, leaving Dobby staring after them with an expression of confusion on his face.  
  
Well? R&R! 


	5. Moony and Wormtail

**COMPLIMENTS OF LORD VOLDEMORT**

**DISCLAIMER:** JKR lives in Britain, and I live thousands of miles away.

**Author's Note:** Thanks to Lady Taliesin, Lily and James Potter and charmedlily for reviewing. And I know it's been… well, a very long time… since I last updated. I'm awfully sorry, but I had some important exams to take. They're done for the moment, so here's chapter five. Enjoy – and review.

**CHAPTER 5: MOONY AND WORMTAIL**

"Hello, Padfoot."

Remus smiled at his friend. Sirius only scowled.

"Er… Padfoot? Is something wrong?"

Lina came in to take Remus's trunk.

"Not to be worrying, Sir. Mistress has punished Sirius Black for putting a Niffler in her bedroom."

"Oh," Remus said, grinning.

"'Tis a Silencing Charm. Mistress has put one on Master also."

"What did Master do?"

"He helped Sirius Black get the Niffler without Mistress finding out. Mistress says that if dinnertime comes without any nasty smells or explosions or other pranks she will lift the charm. Mistress has forbidden Sir to do it."

Remus laughed.

"Sir would not dare disobey Mistress. Sir knows better than Master and Sirius Black.

* * *

"Er… Lily?"

"Oh, you're here, Remus! Good. Has Peter come with you?"

"No. He said he had some work. He'll come by later."

"As long as he doesn't splinch himself," Lily muttered.

"Lily…"

"Yes?"

"Is something wrong with Sirius?"

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"Well, I know you put a Silencing Charm on Sirius, but why did he glare at me as if I was wearing a badge that said, 'I love Severus Snape'?"

Lily smiled.

"Well, Lina always complains that when Sirius is around she doesn't get near Harry, so I told her to take him for a walk – not in the village, Remus! Just around the house and through the greenhouses and things."

"Poor Sirius!"

"He deserved it! I don't know what's wrong with those two this week. It's like being back at Hogwarts! I thought they were finally getting some sense, but… I'm just warning you, Remus. Don't open a door or walk under a chandelier without sending a few good hexes before you."

"I'll keep that in mind," Remus said, grinning.

"So, how'd it go at the Liaison Office?"

"Oh, that." Remus's face fell. "It seems Cornelius Fudge – do you know who he is?"

"That blustering wizard who always wears a bowler hat? Barty Crouch's competitor for the Minister's post?"

"Yes, him. Well, he's trying to push through a decree banning – what was it? – oh, yeah, 'all half-breeds including werewolves from taking any employment that requires prolonged contact with witches or wizards. Said ban shall be lifted only when proper precautions are taken by the prospective employer in consultation with the Wizengamot.'"

"What?" Lily said. "But – but – they can't pass such a –"

"It hasn't been passed yet. But apparently there's some clause in the Statute of Secrecy that states that until the matter is resolved none of the parties involved shall… well, I don't remember the exact phrasing, but the upshot is that I can't even apply for a job until the Wizengamot votes on the decree, and, knowing Fudge, he'll make sure it takes a very long time."

"Don't worry too much," Lily said. "Dumbledore won't let them do it."

* * *

"I hope not," Remus said fervently.

"Master," Wormtail murmured as he knelt before Voldemort.

"When do you go to the Potters'?"

"Today, Master. The traitor and the halfbreed are there already."

"They can be dealt with. Who else?"

"None, Master."

"What about Dumbledore? The Muggle-loving fool has probably guessed that I plan to attack now."

"To the best of my knowledge, my lord, he plans to stay at the school. He fears to leave it unprotected."

"He is not so foolish after all. That will leave you, the halfbreed, the two traitors and the mudblood at Godric's Hollow… easy enough. My Death Eaters will keep the others occupied, while you, Wormtail, will be given the chance to serve me as no other has ever done."

"I am most grateful, my lord, I cannot express –"

"That will do. Just remember that this is your last chance. If you fail me this time…"

He left the unspoken words hanging in the air as he swept out of the room. Slowly, Wormtail got to his feet.

* * *

"I'm here," Peter announced to the world in general.

Footsteps sounded down the hallway.

"You're just in time for dinner," Lily said as she came into the room. "You're rather late; we were expecting you an hour ago."

"Oh… er… I had to meet someone… in connection with my job…"

"Oh, Ministry business, was it?"

"Yes, yes, it was."

Lily shook her head.

"I don't know how you can stand to work there, with both Crouch and Fudge lobbying for the top spot as soon as the Minister retires…"

"Politics, you know," Peter said vaguely. "You ought to know about that; Muggles have it too."

"Still… you would think they had more important things to worry about now than who gets the Minister's chair. If Voldemort has his way there won't _be_ a Minister's chair left."

"Don't say his name," Peter said with a shudder.

"Oh, come on, if you're that scared of him you're playing right into his hands. Lightning won't strike you where you stand if you say it."

Peter decided to change the subject.

"Have you heard about the decree to the Aurors?"

"Giving them more powers? Yes, I have. It may not be as brilliant an idea as Bartemius Crouch thinks."

"With the present situation…"

"That's the point, isn't it? As things stand any of the Aurors could be on his side, and there won't be any checking them now that the decree's come."

"I spoke to Barty Crouch's son; he thinks it'll work."

"Crouch's _son_? Where did you meet him? I thought he hated the Ministry and everything to do with it."

"Oh – oh, that – I… er… I had to give Crouch some papers so I went to his house, and he was busy…"

"Tell us about it at dinner. You must be hungry if you've been going around the Floo Network all day – oh, leave your trunk. Lina'll take it."


End file.
